h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Zagreb,
One pedantic point:

You cannot 'fire' a longbow - it's not a firearm. You 'shoot' it instead.

And one suggestion:

Why don't you discuss the 'V for victory' salute used by Winston Chuchill in WWII as well? At the time the 'V' sign would have been thought deeply offensive if used by the Prime Minister in public but his 'V for victory' was acceptable - even though everyone well understood its true meaning.

F

It's also been used as a sign of peace

The 'peace' V-sign is palm away from you, not towards you.

Not every man captured had both fingers cut off. Sometimes they only cut off the index finger. But a lot of men who had this done to them discovered they could draw the bow string with 1 finger.

Where did you think giving the middle finger came from?

Same place, different method of hampering a bowman.